I had not seen in The Telegram for quite some time letters like those which Tom Careen’s letter of Dec. 30 mentioned as having sought reinstatement in Canada of capital punishment for murder, so here at least is such a letter.
I do not suggest that all murderers be executed, for I do not believe people ought to impose their own beliefs upon others, as those who oppose capital punishment have so far been imposing their belief upon the rest of us. I would recommend capital punishment for all murderers who, before committing murder had approved of capital punishment for murder. The government might therefore require every thoughtful and responsible citizen who cared about democratic self-government to register with the government his position on this question, so that the law might punish him accordingly if later he committed murder. A citizen not approving a punishment as applicable against himself might not invoke it for an offence against him or those about whom he purported to care most.
I believe we ought to want laws against murder not only to protect ourselves from murderers, but to discourage us also from committing murder, of which I believe all of us to be capable.
Colin Burke
Port au Port
